Happy Earth Day! Rotochopper is proud to be a company which supports sustainable practices through the use of our horizontal grinders. By turning waste into a secondary product, the industries we serve are not only able to find profitable opportunities in recycling but are also doing their part to keep reusable material out of the waste stream and out of landfills. Additionally, the end products produced with Rotochopper’s horizontal grinders make their own contributions to supporting and improving environmental health through practices like composting and mulching.
Composting
Industries like tree trimming and land clearing produce massive amounts of green and brown waste, which can provide a wide variety of benefits when they are kept out of the landfills. In just a year, America alone wastes overs $161 billion in food products. However, through proper practices and supporting equipment, like Rotochopper’s horizontal grinders, that wasted organic material can become a nutrient-rich soil additive: compost.
Producing compost reduces the amount of green, wood, and food waste in landfills, lowering the emission of greenhouse gasses. With landfills as one of the top producers of human-related methane emissions, that’s something that’s sorely needed if we want to reduce the effects of global warming. But that’s not all: the practice of composting itself also helps promote environmental health.
Commercial fertilizers, if used in excess, can have adverse environmental effects, causing algae blooms and groundwater contamination that endangers animals and humans. As a valid alternative, compost improves soil health and structure by adding important nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These are, in turn, used by plants to promote better growth and, in the case of crops, larger yields. Additionally, composting improves the soil’s water retention, decreasing erosion and runoff and allowing plants to establish stronger, healthier roots.
Mulching
Millions of tons of wood waste find their way to landfills each year, with construction, demolition, and land clearing as some of the largest contributors. Within the construction and demolition industries, wood waste—scrap lumber, old pallets, wooden shingles—is typically hauled to a landfill. When it comes to the downed trees and other brown waste resulting from land clearing, the go-to option used to be burning; however, this contributes to air pollution and has been banned in several areas.
With the use of horizontal grinders, a far better option for both of these industries is to grind wood waste into a profitable product that’s much better for the environment: mulch. While colored mulch does add a clean-looking finish to any garden or landscape project, its benefits aren’t just aesthetic. When spread around plants and trees, mulch can discourage pests and weeds, reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides that can contaminate dirt and water. Mulching also helps soil retain moisture, reducing water runoff, erosion, and the need for frequent watering, allowing for the conservation of our most vital resource.
We’re all responsible for the planet we call home. This Earth Day, consider what changes you can make to your operation to reduce your contribution to the waste stream. Ready to go greener? Contact a Rotochopper sales representative to get started.